OF BOLDNESS 27 



XII 

 OF BOLDNESS 



IT is a trivial grammar-school text, but yet worthy a 

 wise man's consideration. Question was asked of Demos- 

 thenes, 'what was the chief part of an orator?' he 

 answered, ' action ' : what next ? c action ' : what next 

 again ? * action.' He said it that knew it best, and had 

 by nature himself no advantage in that he commended. 



A strange thing, that that part of an orator which is but 

 superficial, and rather the virtue of a player, should be 

 placed so high, above those other noble parts of invention, 

 elocution, and the rest ; nay almost alone, as if it were all 

 in all. But the reason is plain. There is in human nature 

 generally more of the fool than of the wise ; and therefore 

 those faculties by which the foolish part of rnen's minds is 

 taken are most potent. 



Wonderful like is the case of Boldness, in civil business ; 

 what first ? Boldness : what second and third ? Boldness. 

 And yet boldness is a child of ignorance and baseness, far 

 inferior to other parts. But nevertheless it doth fascinate 

 and bind hand and foot those that are either shallow in 

 judgment or weak in courage, which are the greatest part ; 

 yea and prevaileth with wise men at weak times. There- 

 fore we see it hath done wonders in popular states ; but with 

 senates and princes less ; and more ever upon the first 

 entrance of bold persons into action than soon after ; for 

 boldness is an ill keeper of promise. Surely as there are 

 mountebanks for the natural body, so are there mounte- 

 banks for the politic body ; men that undertake great cures, 

 and perhaps have been lucky in two or three experiments, 

 but want the grounds of science, and therefore cannot hold 

 out. Nay you shall see a bold fellow many times do 

 Mahomet's miracle. Mahomet made the people believe that 

 he would call an hill to him, and from the top of it offer up his 

 prayers for the observers of his law. The people assembled ; 

 Mahomet called the hill to come to him, again and again ; 

 and when the hill stood still, he was never a whit abashed, 



